The "Aid in Dying" Debate

A large crowd gathered Friday for the joint House committee hearing on the End of Life Option Act.

Credit Rachel Baye / WYPR

Oregon, Washington, Vermont, and Montana all allow terminally ill patients to seek aid in dying. The practice will take effect in California in a few months. New Mexico’s highest court is expected to rule on the issue this year. Here in Maryland, “end of life” legislation is once again before the General Assembly.

Today, a look at both sides of the “right to die” debate. Some call it "death with dignity," others see it as "physician-assisted suicide." We’ll talk to Dr. Michael Strauss, a board-certified internist and volunteer with Compassion and Choices, a nonprofit that supports expanding end-of life choices, as well as forensic psychiatrist Dr. Annette Hanson, who opposes the bill. Should aid in dying be legal? What are the implications for the elderly and disabled?

Related Content

How do you grab a jury’s attention? How do you deal with a witness’s prior inconsistent statements? Today, inside the mind of a lawyer. Veteran attorney Paul Mark Sandler has practiced law for four decades, trying scores of jury trials across the country. Named by Baltimore Magazine one of Maryland’s top ten lawyers of 2015, he has written several books on trial technique, including “The 12 Secrets of Persuasive Argument.” Paul Mark Sandler joins Midday today for a primer on the ins and outs of practicing law - from crafting an opening statement to conquering juror bias to closing with confidence.

Imagine you had to call into work every morning to find out if you were on the schedule. How would you arrange child-care? What if you were juggling a second job? Or what if you arrived at work only to find you weren’t needed? This is reality for many low-wage part-time employees. Maryland is one of at least ten states considering legislation to make scheduling more predictable. But employers say a one-size-fits-all mandate will place an unnecessary burden on businesses. Economics and labor-employment relations researcher Lonnie Golden joins us to discuss so-called just-in-time scheduling. We’ll also hear from Mike O’Halloran, Maryland State Director of the National Federation of Independent Business.

Today, we talk about what kind of jobs will drive the next economy. Alec Ross, a distinguished visiting fellow at Johns Hopkins, has written the book he wishes someone had put in his hands when he was growing up in West Virginia three decades ago. "Industries of the Future" draws on his four years of travels as Secretary of State Clinton’s Senior Advisor on Innovation, a half-million miles observing developments in 41 countries. Parts of it are breathlessly gee-whiz, look-what’s-just-around-the-corner, and parts of it tell a cautionary tale for middle-class workers in developed economies like the United States.